Yanks Need a Starter to Contain Boston Bats

BOSTON – This was the night Phil Hughes had been dreaming of all summer, ever since his fastball had mysteriously abandoned him. The ball was light in his hand, his arm was as long and loose as a whip. The scoreboard hinted that Hughes’ search was finally over, with radar-gun readouts of 94, even 95 mph, enough firepower to contain even the nuclear Red Sox.

For two innings, Hughes flipped the calendar back to his 18-win season in 2010, whipping through Boston’s lineup like it was calisthenics. “Everything felt better,” he said, striking out three of the first eight batters. Not even a mini-two run rally in the third inning dented the Yankees’ confidence in Hughes.

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